Passeriformes
Guides
Brueelia
Brueelia is a hyperdiverse genus of chewing lice in the family Philopteridae, forming the core of the 'Brueelia-complex'—one of the largest and most heterogeneous groups of avian lice. Over 300 species have been described, with estimates suggesting more than 1,000 species may exist from African hosts alone. The genus is predominantly associated with Passeriformes (perching birds), with most species exhibiting high host specificity; more than 85% of described species are known from a single host bird species.
Ornithomya
bird louse flies
Ornithomya is a genus of louse flies (family Hippoboscidae) comprising approximately 31 species of obligate avian ectoparasites. All species are blood-feeding parasites of birds, primarily Passeriformes. Adults are dorsoventrally flattened with reduced or absent wings in many individuals. The genus exhibits adenotrophic viviparity, with larvae developing entirely within the female and deposited as fully mature third instars that immediately pupate. Species show varying degrees of host specificity correlated with bird nesting ecology.